In December 1989's York Diocesan leaflet, the Archbishop of York compares the beginning of human life with the rising of the sun: "Birth may be the equivalent of full dawn, but when was first light? Night merges into day, but at what point does day begin?"

In the present debate on embryo research the main question has to be "When does the embryo achieve personhood?". But as the Archbishop concedes, there is no single point during the embryo's development which can be marked as the beginning of life, as the point when the embryo becomes human. That is, there is no such point apart from conception.

At conception the embryo has its own unique genotype. We may not be able to see at this point what will become placenta or embryo, or even if twinning will take place, but all the information is there. The whole basis of allowing embryo experimentation means that we reject the individuality and the humanity of the embryo. The Archbishop says that many will die anyway, so there is little harm in using them for research, but all individuals are important because of who they are, not who they might become.

If we accept a woman's right to an abortion, we are rejecting the rights of the child for the rights of the mother. Joseph Fletcher, supporting abortion stated, "The foetus is not a personal being since it lacks freedom, self-determination, rationality, ability to choose either means or ends and knowledge of circumstances.".

But God loves all humanity as his Creation:

"It was you who created my inmost self, and put me together in my mother's womb, for all these mysteries I thank you; for the wonder of myself, for the wonder of your works. You know me through and through, from having watched my bones take shape when I was being formed in secret, knitted together in the limbo of the womb."

(Psalm 139:6-7)

It is not meeting a set of human-defined criteria which gives us our value, it is our very existence. How many of us would be at risk if we were only seen in terms of our usefulness to society? There is no clearer witness in the Gospels than Christ's ministry to those rejected by society.

But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

(I Samuel 16:7)

Abortion is being thought of as a necessary evil. The emphasis is now on each individual's functional value to the community, rather than society's responsibility to support and protect the helpless and less able. As Christians, we must offer this support. If abortion is a necessary evil, then it is society which is making it so. As part of the body of Christ we have an obligation to look after and respect the other parts of that body. To aid women with babies in such difficult circumstances as a lack of emotional or financial support, or facing the prospect of a handicapped baby, is an inherent part of our Christian responsibility.